Daytona Beach man accused of using pepper spray on boys

A man was charged with two counts of child abuse after using pepper spray on two children, police said.

By Katie Kusturakatie.kustura@news-jrnl.com

DAYTONA BEACH — A man was charged with two counts of child abuse after using pepper spray on two children, police said.Two boys, ages 8 and 10, were playing by mailboxes in the 300 block of Country Club Oval shortly after 5:45 p.m. Wednesday when they were confronted by resident Wilbert Vreen, according to a police charging affidavit.The boys told police that Vreen sprayed their faces with pepper spray, which a witness confirmed, according to the affidavit.“They displayed signs consistent with being sprayed by pepper spray, which were watery eyes and mucous on the upper lip,” according to the affidavit.Vreen, 58, told police that, while he did own pepper spray, he had not used the spray on the boys, but did say they were bothering him, according to the affidavit.Records show Vreen was being held Thursday at the Volusia County Branch Jail on $10,000 bail.